7 Reasons That Will Make You Want to Root Your Not Rooted Android Device

Android, the open source project mobile system operation is have fast progress in it's development. But there is one thing cannot be separated from Android OS is it the old Android version or even to the most new Android N Nougat, and it is ROOT.

As we know Android is an open source operating system, so we have rights to modify the system as we like. By Rooting our Android device is the way we can unlock "the security seal" of the device so we can through the deep of the system. Actually for honest, Root is something that every user should not do so easy to his device. As for a rooted device can also bring user some serious trouble like bricking it, to the most important things like security and privacy of the user.

Also although Root is something that can void the warranty of an Android device, but still most user will do it anyway as there is so many benefits and advantages they get. But nowaday there is so many information we can get on websites tell us how to Root our Android device easily, and even there is solution to prevent if something bad happen when we did a failed Root.

My myself start Rooting my first Android smartphone Samsung Galaxy V SM-G313HZ when it still 3 months old in my hand. You know what is the first reason why I brace myself to rooted my Android smartphone at that time? To get internet access for free (oopss...) :D.

Now here it is, the 7 reasons that will make a user to root his Android device.

1. Performance and Function Tweak

   
   When I just got my first Android smartphone, I'm very happy with it. The first game i was hunting is Final Fantasy III, then I playing it and "awesome". Then i knew that GTA game is also playable on Android, but with size 2 GB, but my phone storage is just 2 GB :( . But there is solutions to trick it, move the data and obb of game to external SD card (which usually have great space like 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, etc...) using some applications like Foldermount or some Xposed module like XinternalSD. And guess what? That's right, the applications is need ROOT :D.
   
   Also with Rooting your Android device, we can do many things to boost the device performance. There is many ways we can improve the performance of our device like removing unnecessarry bloatware (system applications), using some Init.d scripts, applying tweak to the RAM, and many more.

2. Better Gaming Experience

   
   Playing game on Android device is also had many variations too. From Playing the usual Android game to playing some old school games like Playstation Portable using emulator application. One more reason to root your Android device for you who are gaming freak, to get more performance on the game and maximize your gaming experience.
   
   
   
   
   Let me give you a hints about the best Android application to maximize your gaming experience, and it is GLTools. By using GLtools application, you can enchant the graphic or even reduce lag and quality so you can play hind end game on an low end Android phone.

3. Change Display and User Interface

   
   One the most reason why users root his Android device, it is to change the display and User Interface (UI). Yeah, we can change the color, the statu bar icon like clock, battery, change the Settings background with your girlfriend photo, or even fake the signal to 4G even you use a 3G phone :D.
   
   There is also many ways to do it, and one of the most popular method is using Xposed module as it is fairly easy to use and not too risky. Some popular Xposed module to modify the User Interface: Wanam Xposed (mainly for Samsung Touchwiz Kitkat), Xblast Tool (for Kitkat and down), or GravityBox (available for Android Jelly Bean to Marshmallow).

4. Stay Up to Date

   
   Every Android device of course will get system update from the device Vendor. The update can include of Android OS version or even small updates to fix some minor bugs. But I'm sure an Android device will soon stop getting the official updates as more and more new device released. If we want, we also can take an act to update the system or OS version by ourself.
   
   Like my Samsung Galaxy V Android smartphone, now i'm running it with Android Marshmallow which originally released as Android Kitkat, although it never get official update from the manufacturer. To do that, I am installing an aftermarket firmware created by third party (non-official) and flash it by myself. It is often called installing a "Custom ROM".

5. Change ROM

   
   Like I said above, by Installing a custom firmware or custom ROM (the right one of course...) we can update the OS version. But just not that, by Installing custom ROM is like a total modification also to the Display, performance, new features, and many more.
   
   
   
   
   To install a custom ROM, we need a custom recovery. And root is the only way if we want to install a custom recovery directly and using it by our Android device.

6. Backup and Restore

   
   Now this also one more things that pretty important, to easily backup and restore of our Android device content. Actually Google also has offer you a service to backup your device to the Google Drive cloud. But it needs a lot of time and bandwith of course.
   
   If we have a rooted Android device, we can easily backup it's whole content from the applications, system, the apk's and anythings directly to our external storage, so no computer needed. There are many apps on the market that offer to do that, example the best is Titanium Backup and Helium.
   
   Or even we can make a full backup of our Android device content and system using the Backup feature on custom recovery like TWRP, CWM, etc as easy as "one tap".

7. Hack 2 Free and Hack 2 Win :D

   
   Last but not least, is a bad reasons that is we can get premium / paid Android app or game for free. Or just hack an in-app-purchase of an application or game to get some premium features for free. It need some hacking jobs and some right tools like Lucky Patcher, which need root access of course.
   
   
   
   
   And also we can hack an Android game like the money, the gold, similar like that if we have root access because the system is already unlocked so we can make changes to everythings.

Like I said earlier, rooting your Android device is something you must think twice before to do it. As we get many benefits, a rooted Android device is also could bring us some trouble including bricking it or some serious trouble about your privacy and security.

I think rooting our Android device is ok if we know what app and what kind of jobs the root application will do to our Android device. And choosing the rights Superuser management app is also an important thing so you can keep your privacy and security safe.

How to Fix External SD Card Cannot Write Caused by Corrupt File on Android Device

THE CASE

It happens few weeks ago actually on my Android smartphone, my microSD Card was suddenly error can not do write operations (it cannot make file, delete, move, compress, etc...). It will appear warning like "operation error" or "operation is not permitted" or "SD card are mounted read only" or "operation not possible" (depend on what application used) when trying did those operation. Then I restart my Android device, it back normal and no problem, but after few minutes the problem cannot write is back. And so that things happen repeatedly. My SD card is just 4 months old, and I just said to myself "Oh nooooo.... my precious 32 GB SD card /°_°\ ".

THE CAUSED

Evidently, there is corrupt files (broken files / unfinished operation files) contained on my microSD Card located on storage/extSdCard/PSP/SAVEDATA/ directory. This is corrupt files indeed because i can spot it in a second by its odds name, size, and it's just different compared to other PPSSPP savedata files. "It is PPSSPP savedata's, why it exist on external SD card not internal?" Because i had using Foldermount app to link it to external microSD Card.

THE SOLUTION

Well I'm not giving up :v . Then I try one by one all application for SD card tools and untill finally I stop at "ANDROID PARTITION TOOL" app.

Requirements:
- Rooted.
- Update Latest BUSYBOX.
- ANDROID PARTITION TOOL app.
- Brain :v

Before, I don't know that it caused by corrupt files. But after I used the "Fix" feature on Android Partition Tool app, then I start to know that the culprit is the corrupt PPSSPP savedata files.

Open the Android Partiton Tool and tap on "Tool" tab. Because our (if) micro SD Card is still not partitied yet so it just appear one part, tick the "Part 1". Tap on the menu list bottom -> "Fix" -> "Apply" to start the process. After it applied then it will appear a report text. Now there we must carefully read the report text to find the reason why our SD card is error. At that time, I find error logs on storage/extSdCard/PSP/Savedata/. So I just straight reboot my Android smartphone and after reboot I quickly find the corrupt files based on the Android Partition Tool app report text and delete them immediately before the error came again. And finally my microSD Card is back to normal without problem untill now :D.

THE CONCLUSION

I don't know what is exactly the caused the corrupt files is created (in this case the corrupt files is PPSSPP savedata's). This is just newbie hiphotesist, so DEVs please don't laught to hard :v

1. Maybe it is because i had link the SdCard/PSP/ folder ke storage/extSdCard/PSP/ using foldermount. The conclusion is we cannot just link any folder / directory as we want. It is just safe to link folder from internal to external using foldermount only for static folder (the content is not easily changes), and not dinamic folder (not safe). Example static folder is the OBB folder on app, because the OBB file on an app or game is just functioned for "read" purpose by it app / game.
2. Or maybe it caused because when the save process on PPSSPP is working, I accidentally interrupt it by quitting from the PPSSPP app and so the corrupt files created. Notice the warning "Saving game. Please do not turn off ...". This things is real happen in the real game console like Playstation's. But I don't know if it can happen on an emulator too

How to Link Internal Storage to External SD Card using Foldermount APK Android

Allright, now come another tips to "trick" the limited of internal storage (or phone storage) size on your Android smartphone. Like my Samsung Galaxy V (Kitkat 4.4) only have a 4GB phone storage size, it's taken by the system 2GB, so my internal storage size for installing app and save other files is just 2GB (so pity :v ). But how if I want to install the GTA San Andreas that have 2.5GB game data and FIFA 15 that have 1.5GB game data at the same time? If your Android phone is on rooted, then the right and easiest solution is using app called Foldermount.

With Foldermount Premium apk we can link internal storage to external SD Card (which is usually have big space like 32GB or 64GB) by create a pair of folder link. It means if we save a file at external storage (storage/extSdCard/LINKEDFOLDER) it will be considered the same as internal storage (sdcard/LINKEDFOLDER). The other day i have write a tutorial too that the purposes is similar with Xposed module called XinternalSD, then you can try this Foldermount method if the old tutorial is not work for you.

Moving Application & Game Data and OBB Files to External Memory Card with XinternalSD APK [Xposed]

Requirements:
- Rooted Android smartphone.
- Android version 2.3 and up.
- FOLDERMOUNT PREMIUM.apk app (link below).
- Brains :v

Steps how to link your Android device internal storage to external SD Card using Foldermount APK

1. Download and install Foldermount PREMIUM apk app. Dont' forget to give it superuser rights if prompted.
2. Remember how Foldermount work? It is "Linking". So make sure you already have the source folder in your internal memory (SdCard/TARGETFOLDER or storage/emulated/0/TARGETFOLDER).
   
   It is recommended that you move the files from the target folder in internal storage to the target folder in external SD Card (storage/extSdCard/TARGETFOLDER) first to secure it from your operation mistake.
3. Open the foldermount app, don't forget to give it superuser right if asked, and then tap on "+" to create a folder pair. Fill the pair name whatever you like. Then tap on the "Source", find the target folder that you want to linked to the external SD Card, and tap on check icon to choose it. After that foldermount will asked to find the target folder in the external SD Card automatically, by choose yes foldermount will create the target linked folder in external SD Card IF it does not exist yet.
4. Now back to foldermount homepage, and tap the switch so it become active or green, and you're ready to set!
5. Don't forget to go to the foldermount setting to adjust foldermount to re-link the folder pairs every we reboot our Android smartphone.

Foldermount also have Application Analyzer feature to create folder pair based on installed apps & games data and obb automatically.

Note that after we success linked the folder from internal to external storage, we will see same files both inside the source folder and the target folder. Don't worry as it is expected. The files you see in the internal storage or source directory (SdCard/LINKEDFOLDER) actually is remain in the external SD Card or target directory (storage/extSdCard/LINKEDFOLDER). The files you see in the internal storage is just "symbolic" and will not eat your internal storage space more.

# FOLDERMOUNT PREMIUM.apk (+- 1.8MB)

# FOLDERMOUNT PREMIUM v 2.9.11.apk (+- 2.4MB)